Tanzania Diary 4: Safari to Serengeti
Mar 7 - Mar 9, 2013

Bob, Alan, Mike, with much assistance from Andrew, Loshie, Anthon, Harrison, John, Kreti, Frank, Isaya, Nasib, and many more

See also Tanzania Highlights
Tanzania Diary: Kilimanjaro; Feb 21 - Mar 3, 2013
Tanzania Diary 2: Arusha, Mar 4, 2013 and
Tanzania Diary 3: Safari to Ngorongoro Crater, Mar 5 - Mar 6, 2013

Day 14 [Thu]: 3/7/2013, Serengeti Camp
-After leaving our Crater Camp, we drove around the rim of the crater, then descended into Serengeti. Before getting to the park, we stopped at a museum and Oldavai Gorge, where the Leaky's did their work. We heard a fascinating lecture (and discovered the Gorge is named after a plant Oldapai, which the German scientist mistakenly called Oldavai).

Later, we stopped for a box lunch and Alan and I climbed to top of rock mound for a wonderful view as we ate. Came back down to a grocery store and a torrential rain hit. Harrison and Mike picked us up at the front of the grocery store. As shown below, we saw many, many animals as we drove through Serengeti.

Alan and Mike


Lions About To Get Off Rock


Zebra Migration Is In Progress

Day 15 [Fri]: 3/8/2013, Serengeti Safari
Early in the morning, before there was light, Alan and I get up and leave our tents. In the darkness, just a few feet from the path, we see the reflection of 2 pairs of eyes, but cannot tell what is there. Turns out later that we were very close to two buffalo, which can be quite dangerous. When there was light, and after they had moved off a bit, I took this video

Sunrise at Serengeti Camp


Warthogs

Yellow-Necked Spurfowl


Lilac-breasted Roller


Elephants

Lunch with Harrison and Mike

Here is a video of lions mating near the side of the road. As we watched, the male mounted twice in about 5 minutes. Apparently, they can mate many, many times a day.

Here is a video of an elephant mother and her two young ones.

Here is a video of giraffes in which the male appears very intent on mating, while the female simply looks for more to eat. Harrison told us this could go on all day.


Lion Filled Sausage Tree. Video of lion falling out of sausage tree.


Just before the fall


Impalas

In a puddle on the edge of the road, there was a hyena taking a mud bath. He was not the least concerned about our driving up next to him and simply continued to roll around in the puddle. Here is the video.


Nearby Giraffe

Hippos


A leopard sits in a tree. Above the leopard is its kill. Not visible, but below the leopard, is its cub

Here is a pond completely packed with hippos, which are swishing their tails to throw water on their backs. Note that very young ones are in the water too. Here is the video.


Olive Baboons



Dining tent at Serengeti camp, Alan sitting

Personal Tents

Day 16 [Sat]: 3/9/2013, End of Serengeti Safari, Start of Trip Home
Harrison continued guiding us through Serengeti in the morning, heading toward an 11 AM flight from Serengeti to Arusha. In Arusha we would make one last trip to the Maasai Market, visiting Mt. Meru Curio & Craft Market once more to buy more souveniers. Then we spent the afternoon at the Kia Lodge, preparing for the flight back to Amsterdam and the US.


Giraffe


African Hoopoe

White-browed Coucal


Black-headed Heron

Back of crocodile


Our plane from Serengeti to Arusha

Alan got to sit in the co-pilot seat

There was one hassle at the very end. At the security check in to the boarding gate, where they run your carry-on through the machine, I handed the security agent my passport. Then Alan handed over his passport. The people in front of us moved through the security scanner. The security agent handed Alan back his passport and said it was too early for him to enter the boarding area. I asked for my passport. The agent did not have it and stated I had not given it to him. Alan confirmed my statement that I had indeed given it over. After a bit of fuss on the other side of the gate, a lady passenger was found to have been given my passport. So I got it back. But now she did not have one. I believe it all got worked out in the end.


KLM is waiting to take us home!

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